Dreaming of The White City
by Shadow Ravenstorm
Summary: A lost pregnant Gondorian woman is found during a raid of an Uruk camp. Eomer helps her as she works through the horrors she has been through and through horrors she has yet to learn. Takes place in The Two Towers and after.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Pain shot through my body as the vial creature that held me dropped me to the ground. My body ached and I feared for the little one that was currently inside me. I set my hand on my stomach, and as if he knew I felt him kick against my hand to let me know he was ok.

"Get a fire going!" The one that had to be the leader shouted over the scrapping of metal and bodies moving about. We had not stopped for days. I looked over to the other two that had been bound with me. They appeared to be children, they were small and scared; their hands were bound as well.

I'm starving," a particularly ugly looking beast threw the chunk of whatever he was eating on the ground in disgust; "We ain't had nothing but maggoty bread for three stinkin days!"

"Yeah! Why Can't we have some meat?" a skinny and snotty monster looked over to where the children and I had been dropped, "What about them? They're fresh!"

I froze as the group turned toward us. I raised my hand up to my bruised throat and watched them. The leader shoved through the group to the skinny one.

"They are not for eating!"

"What about their legs? They don't need those," another monster from the group said as it stepped forward to get passed the leader. I tried to scoot back from the bunch but my bound arms made it difficult for me to move, "Oh they look tasty!"

"Get back scum!" The group was getting agitated. I did not know how long it would be before their hands would be tearing at my body.

"Carve'em up!" I jumped as I realized one of the monsters had slipped away from the group and was now standing behind us with his sword raised high over his head. A scream lodged itself in my throat as he brought the sword down on us. "Just a mouth full."

Just as the sword was about to make contact with the two children the leader of the group stepped forward and sliced his head off. The had to hold back my vomit and my scream as the head bounced off my back and landed in front of me.

"It looks like meats back on the menu, Boys!"

The group let loose animalistic howls and roars that echoed through the night as the charged the carcass. I pulled myself away as fast as I could before I got trampled by the hungry horde. I looked around for the kids but I had lost them in the commotion. I pulled myself near and tree away from the group. The branches creaked and moaned in the wind, but it was better than the noises the monsters were making.

For the first time in three days I let myself cry. It seemed like a life time ago since I had left Minas Tirith to visit my grandmother in Rohan. We had been crossing The Westfold when the monsters attacked. The guard The Steward had sent with me had been slaughtered. Why they left me alive, I do not know and I don't think I want to know. I wanted to be home.

I let my hand wander back down to my stomach to reassure the babe that grew within. If we both survived this I was never leaving the white city again. I closed my eyes and tried to go somewhere better than this; home. I conjured his face before me. His strong face and blonde hair; he never kept it very long, but just long enough so that it framed his handsome face and I could tangle my fingers in it. I saw his blue eyes that always pierced through my soul and shined with his Gondorian armor. My Boromir.

The child within me kicked as I thought of his father and brought a smile to my face. We were to be married after he returned from Rivendell. I smiled wider as I pictured him in his ceremonial armor, waiting for me under the white tree. He would reach his arms for me and stare into my eyes as we said our vows and I would be his forever.

The babe kicked harder, bringing me back to the present. I had just began to show when he left for his quest. I remembered the day I told him; it was a few months after he had asked for my hand. I know we should have waited till after we said our vows, but I could not wait to show him how much I loved him. I had never seen his eyes shine as much as they did that day. He placed his hand on my stomach and his smile lit up my world.

The monsters had quieted down and were nursing full stomachs. There was still no sign of children; I hoped they had not been hurt. I closed my eyes and took myself back to Boromir's arms as I tried to sleep. I imagined the ground was his strong chest and the wind was his fingers running through my hair. His imagined breathing and heart beat lulled me into a rough sleep.

'Soon, my love,' I thought as sleep took me.

I awoke to the sound of screeches and death. Great horses were running rampant through the camp with fierce warriors on them. The monsters were scrambling away to avoid sword and spear.

I tried to move further into the forest, but I didn't make it far before I felt a hand on the back of my dress.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

I struggled against my captor. I bit and I clawed and I fought. I was not going to stay a prisoner any longer. I was going to fight for my child and for me. I was going to make it back to my Boromir.

"Calm yourself woman!"

That was not the voice of the monsters. I looked up to see a tall man sitting on a horse above me. The landscape was full of fire and smelled of blood and death. The man reached his hands down and pulled me on his horse. He wrapped my arms around his waist and commanded me to hold on. As we rode I saw other men on horses piling bodies up near the edge of the forest. Bile rose up in my throat and I passed out.

_"Annabel…"_

_ Bormoir? _

_ "Wake up Annabel."_

_ I opened my eyes and looked around. I was back in Gondor, in my room in the steward's house. A fire warmed the room and the chill from my bones, but not as much as the man who sat at the foot of the bed._

_ "Oh Boromir!" I lunged forward and wrapped my arms around him, "I was so afraid. When your father said Osgiliath had been overrun…"_

_ "Hush my love," he held me close and ran his fingers through my hair, "it will take more than a few orcs to stop me from coming back to you."_

_ I looked up at him and my site was filled with his beautiful blue eyes. I had not realized how afraid I had been until I saw him sitting on my bed, alive and well. I ran my fingers over his dark blue tunic and traced the white tree on his arm. I had missed him so._

_ "I am so glad you are home, Boromir," I felt the tears of relief fall down my face. He gently wiped them away and stared into my eyes._

_ "So am I my love," I couldn't help but smile as I brushed a stray hair out of his face. He was so handsome. _

_ "Now that Osgiliath is safe, you will be here for a while?" I asked. His father had a bad habit of sending him away from me. Boromir was a fine warrior, but surely he had earned leave. A look of sorrow crossed his face as he pulled himself out of my arms and stood by the fire. _

_ "Boromir?" I stood and leaned my head on his strong back. I ran my hands over his strong shoulders and let the sound of his breathing relax me._

_ "I am to leave for Rivendell in the morning." I let my hands drop from his shoulders. My stomach twisted and turned and I knew it was not from the babe that was growing inside._

_ "But you just got home," I whispered, "Surely someone else can go."_

_ "Father has requested his son go."_

_ "He has another son!" I could not hold my tears back any longer. I just got him back and he was going to leave me again. Surely Faramir could go in his place, he was a son of Denathor as well. _

_ Boromir turned and faced me, "I must go. But I will return to you as soon as my duty to Gondor is done."_

_ "Do you swear?" I choked out, "Please don't make me have this baby alone."_

_ A look of anger came over Boromir's face, "Don't you say such things. Don't even think them. I will return to you. I will return to our son. We will raise him into a strong son of Gondor."_

_ "So sure it is a boy?" I smiled slightly; anytime my love spoke of our child he always called it a boy._

_ "Aye, it is a son," he smiled, "A son and a strong soldier."_

_ "And if it is a girl? Will you love her less?"_

_ "Never," he leaned in and gently kissed me. Even though his lips barely brushed mine, my body burned. We stood there in silence, in each other's arms, for a life time. There was no Gondor, no Rivendell, just Boromir._

_ "When I return, I promise it will be for a while," he said finally as he tangled his fingers in my hair and brought it to his face. _

_ "Can you be so sure?" I stepped away from him. He had said this before, just before his father had sent him to Osgiliath. _

_ "My father is learning to fear angry pregnant women," he said with a teasing smile._

_ "And you?" I said as I turned back to face him with a grin of my own, "Do you fear angry pregnant women?"_

_ "Nah," he smiled as he kissed me once more, this time with more force and more need. He used his weight to push me back onto the bed and looked down at me, "I find it's better to pacify them."_

_ I giggled as he kissed my neck and a heat filled my belly, "I love you Boromir."_

_ "And I love you Annabel."_


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

"Boromir?" The words left my lips like a sweet song.

"There is no one here by that name, Miss." A deep voiced smacked me awake. I looked around to see myself surrounded by horses and by men. I felt panic wrap itself around my chest.

"Where am I? Who are you?" I could not stop the questions from pouring out of my mouth. Where was Boromir; he was just here. I saw him. I felt him…

"Calm yourself," it was the one who had spoken earlier. I looked up into dark brown eyes. His face was strong and his blonde hair was long. It reminded me of my own hair, dirty blonde and extremely wavy.

"Who are you?" I repeated backing away from the man in front of me. Pain shot through my back like one thousand daggers wedging their way into my spine. I cried out in pain and collapsed onto the ground. The man moved closer to me.

"YOU STAY AWAY FROM ME!" I had just escaped one group of monsters; I was not going to be taken by another, "Where is Boromir?"

"This woman is hysterical. Will someone please bring me water?" The man ran his fingers through his hair and looked at me with very stern eyes, "There is no one here by that name. Is Boromir your husband?"

"My lord," another man came up behind him and handed him a water skin. The man held it out to me and waited for me to take it. I stared at it as I tried to process what he had said. Not here? But he had to be here; I saw him.

"What is your name?" the man asked gently, lifting my hand and wrapping it around the water skin.

"Annabel," I whispered as I tried to bring everything into focus, "Annabel of Gondor."

"Gondor?" The man looked at me with an odd look on his face, "You are a long way from home, my lady. "

"My lord, if she is from Gondor than she speaks of Boromir son of Denethor," one of the soldiers said from behind the man.

"You know my Boromir?" I sat up as hope filled my breast. Could this man take me to my Boromir?  
"No, my lady," the soldier shook his head, "I just know his name."

I collapsed back on to the ground and looked around desperately. This could not be happening to me. My eyes stung with unshed tears as I placed my hand on my stomach. The baby with in kicked to reassure me that everything was going to be fine.

"You still have not told me your name, sir." I said as I took a drink from the water skin. The water felt good on my dry throat. I had not had anything to drink in days. I feared that if injury did not cause harm to the child, dehydration or starvation would.

"Eomer," The man said. I stared at him. Eomer was the name of the nephew of the king of Rohan. Surely this man was not him, not so far from the capitol. I looked around at the company around me and studied them. They all wore the armor of the infamous Riders of Rohan.

"If you are Eomer than you are far from home as well," I said as I studied his reaction. His face grew sad as he put his helmet back on and stood. The man was a tree.

"Aye," he sighed, "That I am."

He walked back to the rest of the men and left me to my thoughts. The monsters were no longer in my sights. They must have ridden away from them while I was asleep. I looked around for the children.

"Where are the children?"

Eomer looked at me strangely, "The only child here is the one in your stomach, my lady."

"You must be mistaken," I said desperately, "they were with me with the monsters."

He looked around at his men before he answered, "We only found you."

I sat in silence while I watch them pack up their small camp. They loaded up the horses and then Eomer turned back to me.

"You are to ride with me," he said as he held his hand out to help me up, "We have a long way to go yet."

"To Gondor?" I asked hopefully as I stood and followed him to his horse.

"Forgive me, my lady," he said with a sad bow of his head, "But Gondor is not our destination."

I felt that familiar feeling of panic take me. I had to get back to Gondor. I had to get home so I could be there for Boromir's return and to have our child. I could not have a baby out on the plains of Rohan.

"Than what is to become of me?" I choked back tears as Eomer mounted his horse.

"You either come with us," he said as he held out his hand to pull me up, "Or you stay here and hope orcs don't find you."

It didn't seem like much of a choice. I took his hand and settled myself behind him on the horse. My pregnant stomach made it a little awkward for me to get comfortable but I managed. As soon as everyone was on their horses, the company took off putting more distance between them and the orcs, Gondor, and my Boromir.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

We had not been riding very long when a voice echoed across the plains.

"RIDERS OF ROHAN! WHAT NEWS FROM THE MARK!"

Eomer motioned for the company to follow him as he rode toward the voice. Ahead of on a hill stood a dark man who was quickly joined by a short and stocky man and a tall blonde man carrying a bow. As we approached the company surrounded them, spears out. I wrapped my arms tightly around Eomer's waist as he charged through his men to the trio in the center.

"What business does a man, an elf, and a dwarf have in The Riddermark? Speak quickly." Eomer said as he turned his horse to shield me from view. I glanced over his shoulder; I had never seen an elf or a dwarf before.

"Tell me your name Horse Master, then I shall tell you mine," the dwarf said. He had a long red beard and carried a very large axe. His face held a look of blatant disrespect for the nephew of the king of Rohan.

Two men came up alongside Eomer's horse and helped me down before hiding me between a wall of horses and riders. Eomer swung off his steed and approached the trio.

"I would cut off your head, Dwarf. If it stood but a little higher off the ground." The elf next to him moved faster than I had ever seen a man move. He pulled an arrow from his quiver and pointed his bow at Eomer.

"You would die before you stroke fell," I could not hold back a gasp. I pushed through the soldiers as they lowered their spears and nudged them closer to the group. I put my hand on Eomer's shoulder, ready to pull him back in case the elf made good on his threat. I may have just met the man, but as of right now, he was the only person I had.

The dark man pushed in front of the elf and dwarf and addressed Eomer, "I am Aragorn son of Arathorn. This is Gimli son of Gloin. And Legolas of The Woodland Realm. We are friends of Rohan and of Theodin, your king."

Shock over took me as I processed what the dark man said. Aragorn son of Arathorn; this was Issildur's heir, the king of Gondor. My head spun and I held tighter to Eomer to keep from fainting and risking hurt to the babe. I only caught pieces of the conversation, something about spies and a wizard.

"We are not spies. We track a party of Uruk-hi westward across the plains. They hold two of our friends captive,"

"You speak of the children?" I asked suddenly as I pushed in front of Eomer and looked at the man called Aragorn. I bowed low before him, well as low as my pregnant stomach would allow. He looked at me confused, sparing a glance toward Eomer before answering my question.

"You have seen Pip and Merry, My lady?" He asked. Hope shone in his eyes and he put his hands on my shoulders. Eomer cut between us, his hand on the hilt of his sword. I was not sure if it was rage or pride I felt building up inside me at his sudden urge to protect me from the man in front of me.

"Annabel," I said quickly, "Annabel of Gondor. And yes, I was with them through the night," A strange looked passed through Aragorn's eyes as I said my name, but it passed quickly.

"You were!" The one called Gimli's face broke into a toothy grin, "Where are they?"

"We slaughtered the uruk's in the night," Eomer spoke up and led his horse forward to help me on to it. "We left none alive."

"Dead?" I heard the sorrow in the dwarf's voice as I pulled myself up on to the horse. It mirrored my own. I had not known the children, but no one should suffer that fate, especially children.

Eomer called forth two rider less horses and gave them to the trio before moving to get on the horse behind me. Aragorn thanked him and took the reins to his.

"I thank you," he said as he touched his chest, "and I thank your wife for staying with my friends."

"I am not his wife!" I said indigently. How could he think I was his wife?! I looked down at my pregnant belly and the intimate way his hand was across it and how he was nestled up behind me. Oh yeah…that's how.

Aragorn muttered something of an apology as his face flushed and he turned back to his friends. The elf and the dwarf exchanged a strange look before getting on one of the horses.

"Look for your friends," Eomer said as he turned the horse back around to face the trio, "But don't trust to hope. It has forsaken these lands."

"WE RIDE NORTH!"

And that is just what we did. We left the trio behind us without even pausing to look back. We rode over the hills and across the plains. We passed villages that had been burned and sacked by Wildman and Uruks. The longer we rode, the more my heart broke. It broke for the families who had lived in these homes, for the ones that had been lost and for the children who had lost their lives back in the camp with me.

We stopped ridding as the sun set. Eomer helped me off the horse and led me over to where a few men had started building a fire and setting up tents. I sat down on a crate one of the men had set down for me and watched them work.

Eomer had moved back towards the horses and was brushing them down before carrying their saddles to a tent located on the edge of the camp site. After he was done he sat down on the ground next to me with a contented sigh.

"If it is not to forward of me lady, How did you end up in Rohan?" He asked as he pushed his hair out of his face and took a swig from the water skin.

I knew the question was valid. But for some reason I was afraid to answer. The only thing I knew about Rohan was what Boromir had told me. He said the people of Rohan were a strange and wild bunch; nothing like the civilized society in Gondor. He had told her that women, even married women, bedded soldiers without thought and the men were relentless. He said they did not seduce women; they hunted them. And not just women; in Rohan, men would lie with other men. I was suddenly afraid of the man next to me.

Fear gripped me and silenced my voice and froze my muscles. I could not move and I could not speak; all I could do was stare at the fire that had started to glow in front of me.

"My lady?" I knew I was being rude, but I could not find my voice.

He held out the water skin to me and nodded for me to take it. With focus was able to move my hand and take the bottle from him. As I wrapped my fingers around it his fingers brushed mine. The feel of his warm fingers caused me to jerk back and the water skin hit the ground, its contents spilling out.

"Do you have some injury I have over looked," Eomer picked the water skin up off the ground. His brown eyes seemed to dance with anger as he closed it and then threw it near the fire before he stomped off toward one of the tents, "Or are you just.."

"Am I just what?!" I pulled myself from the crate as fast as my body would allow and followed him.

"I am starting to understand why we found you out here and your Boromir is nowhere to be found."

Rage and sorrow filled me up at once till I thought I was going to explode. My knees buckled and met the ground. I choked on a sob as I stared at the grass beneath me. My mind swam with images of Boromir and of Gondor. All at once the strength I had carried during the ride disappeared. I heard voices around me but I could not understand what they were saying. I could not do this. A warm hand on my back brought me back to reality.

"I am sorry," his voice was soft. I almost believed him, "I should not have said such things. I am sure Boromir is an honorable man and is worried about you."

"I don't belong out here," I said after I was able to control my breathing. It felt as though a hand had wrapped its way around my throat and was cutting off all life from me. Eomer pulled me off my knees and led me into the tent. I felt like a statue as he sat me down on the cot and kneeled in front of me.

"We will get this figured out in the morning," he said as he gently put his hand on my face. It was hot against my cold skin, "but for now you are pale and look as though you will faint if you continue on. You will sleep here."

"Where is here, my lord?" I looked up at him and saw myself mirrored in his dark eyes. I was pale and my hair was stringy and at wild angles. I looked around the tent and saw a wash bin and another cot.

"You will be staying in my tent tonight," The fear inside me renewed itself as he left the tent. Everything my Boromir had said flooded back to me with renewed vigor.

I was spending the night in the tent of a soldier of Rohan.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

_I couldn't believe my eyes. There in the middle of the field stood my Boromir. He ran towards me and gathered me into his arms. His lips found mine; his kiss was soft and gentle. His hands tangled in my hair as he led me farther away from the Rider's camp. We lowered ourselves onto the grass, tangled in each other's arms. He kisses my neck and his breath tickled my skin. Boromir tore at my already ruined dress and looked over my bare body. The heat in his eyes was undeniable. _

_ "Annabel, you are so beautiful," his voice was husky and made my body hum with need. I reached up and pulled him back to me. His armor was cold against my skin. He used his skilled mouth on my neck and breasts to coax cries of pleasure from my lips before he pulled away to remove his armor; it was not long before he was back on the ground with me. _

_ He moved down my body, stopping to kiss my pregnant stomach, running his hands all over my body. The air was cold, but my Boromir was warm. The need inside me made me feel like I was going to explode. Oh how this man could drive me crazy._

_ "Annabel…."_

_ "Boromir…"_

_ "Again with the Boromir?!"_

My eyes snapped open. I was back in the tent of the Rohan soldier. He sat on the cot across from mine and stared at me with an amused smile. On the crate between our beds sat a tray of cheese and bread. I sat up and started nibbling on a piece of the bread, trying to avoid eye contact with him. My dream had left me burning and missing my Boromir even more.

"I thought you would be hungry," he said as he took a swig from the tin cup he brought with him. My nose told me it held ale. I cringed at the smell of it. Boromir always liked the taste of it, but I was never one to enjoy it.

The babe inside me kicked and rolled around, making it difficult for me to move. I lay back on the cot and stared at the ceiling of the tent. I heard Eomer move around; the rustle of leather and fabric as though someone was undressing. I kept my eyes on the poles that held the tent up.

"When is that thing supposed to come out?" I whipped my head around to look at him. He had changed out of his armor and sat in a basic tunic and breaches.

"THING?!" I shrieked. He did not just call my baby a thing?! He gestured for me to keep it down as he chuckled to himself. His laughter fueled my rage; if I had been in better condition I would have slapped the smile off of his face.

"Forgive me, my lady," he set his cup down and stretched out on his cot, "your child. When will it enter the world?"

"HE could be here any day!" I seethed. It was obvious my response did not please the horse lord. To be honest, it did not please me either. I wanted to have my baby in Gondor with Boromir to hold me and tell me it would be ok. I wanted to see the look on his face when he held his child for the first time. It was more likely, however, that I would have it out here with the Rohan soldiers. I sighed and rolled over on my cot as pain squeezed at my breast once more. What had I done to deserve this?


	6. Chapter 6

**Hey all. Sorry it has been so long since my last update. Life got a little crazy and then I completely lost track of my stories. But hopefully I am back and I will have the time and the thought process to keep up with all of my projects, including this story, Dragonshield, my blog, my original work and another fanfiction I will be working on that is part of the Dark Hunter fandom, so if you are interested in that area the first chapter should be up in the next week or so. I also am working on an over top story, in which I am working on creating the ultimate Mary Sue character in a kind of satirical style, if I get interest in that I will upload it, but it is mostly just for fun. Anyway…enough with the things you do not care about. On to the story.**

**Cheers.**

Chapter 6

_Annabel…_

_ A voice in the dark called out to me; soothing and soft, yet it filled me with dread. A long dark corridor stretched out before me, the stone was cold and hard beneath my bare feet as I followed the sound of the voice. _ _Despite the coldness of the stone, the air was hot and full of ash and smoke. The fumes filled my lungs as I choked to breathe. The babe inside me kicked and turned as I tried to keep my balance and find my way out._

_ Annabel…._

_ 'Who are you?'_

_ Laughter filled my ears as a bright firey eye filled my view. Sauron. _

_ Annabel…_

_ Pain shot through my stomach, dropping me to my knees. I tore open the front of my dress to see something moving violently in my stomach. A hoarse scream tore from my throat as a small hand broke through the skin, followed by an arm, and a head. My vision faded in and out as I stared at the babe in front of me. The blood covered spawn turned and faced me. His teeth were jagged and broken, but that is not what caused me the most fear. His eyes….his eyes….his eyes…._

"ANNABEL!"

I sat up straight in my cot. My skin was soaked with sweat and tears ran down my face. I looked around desperately, fearing I would see the dark cooridor, fearing I would see Him. I willed myself to stop shaking as I looked around and saw nothing but the tent and Eomer. I looked up at him, fear and concern filled his face. I flipped the blanket back to look at my pregnant stomach. There was no blood and the babe was fine. What was that place?

"Are you ok? The whole camp heard you screaming." His hand found its way to my brow, it felt as cold as the stone from the dream. As his hand touched my skin the concern on his face grew.

"Kilsmeth!" He shouted out the tent flap, "quickly this woman needs aid!"

My vision danced before me as I watched another man enter the tent. What were they doing? What were they saying? I could not make out much. Something about a fever and my baby. My baby! What was wrong with my baby?!

A warm thick liquid got poured down my throat, and with that the tent was gone. I was back in the orc camp.

_My hands were bound behind my back, but the monsters were careful not to disturb my stomach. Their gentleness frightened me. Why would they care about harming me when they had just slaughtered my escort? One of the larger males stepped forward; he had a dark bottle in his hand. He ordered my mouth to be forced open as he poured a foul liquid down my throat and forced me to swallow it. It tasted worse than the stables smelled in the late summer months. I tried to throw it up but the bastards held my mouth shut and forced me to swallow anything that came up. _

_ The babe in my belly protested at the new substance in my system. My head split open as I swore I could hear his screams echoing through my body. Pain tore through as whatever they had given me hit like white fire. I wanted to die….please just let me die._

"Annabel…"

Eomer's voice broke through. A look of relief fluttered briefly across his hard face as he handed me a cup of water and sat me up to drink it. I felt weak and just wanted to sleep, but the one called Kilsmeth said I needed to be kept awake till they could figure out what was wrong with me. They did not want anything happening to me or the babe.

The man's cheerfulness gave me hope, but I knew we were too far out for any help to come to me or the child if something were wrong. And something was wrong, very wrong. What was happening to my baby?


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

The weather had changed for the worse. Rain poured down on our small camp as lightening lit up the sky. It felt as though the storm was following us as we traveled farther and farther away from anyone who could help my baby. The child tossed and turned inside me as the storms grew worse. If I had not known any better, I would have sworn he was getting stronger the harder it stormed.

I still rode on the back of Eomer's horse. Even if they had a horse for me, I would not have had the strength to ride on my own. My fever was still high, but we could not afford to stay in one place very long. Orcs and other vile creatures had been spotted near our camp. It seemed as though they were following us, but they never got close enough to do any harm. I could tell this bothered Eomer. His hand was always close to his weapon and he kept his dark eyes focused on the horizon.

I laid my head on his back to try and get some sleep. Sleep had eluded me for several days. It did not bother me; the little sleep I did get was plagued with nightmares anyway. Always the same dream: a dark hallway, Sauron the deceiver, and my baby. Did Sauron want to harm my baby?

I knew Boromir had gone to Rivendell on a quest that had to do with Mordor, but that was all he had told me. Had my love incurred the wrath of the lord who sat behind those walls? Fear over took me as I thought about the ever growing shadow that was outside our great city. We had always been forced to look on as the threat grew in Mordor, but we never thought the vile creatures would grow strong enough to actually attack us. What if something had happened to my Boromir.

Boromir….

I shook my head to snap myself out of it. _Stop it. Nothing had happened to Boromir. He was safe. He had to be. He is strong and brave. He has a son he has to raise. He needs to teach him to be a strong warrior of Gondor. He has to be there for him….for me…._

It was difficult to sleep on horseback. The motion of the animal made me feel sick to my stomach and the child inside me was not happy about being pressed against Eomer's armored back, but I somehow managed to find sleep.

_The hall…_

_ No not again. Please not again. _

_ Torches…there has never been torches on the wall. _

_ I grabbed one of the torches and walked down the corridor like I always did. The child inside me was calm as my bare feet padded on the hard, cold stone. Something wasn't right. This was not the hall I usually walked down. Hope rose up inside me as I prayed this was a new dream. I reached down to touch my stomach to reassure the babe inside me that everything was going to be ok._

_ The babe…..Where is my baby?!_

_ My hand brushed a flat stomach as though there was no baby inside me. My mind became fogged with panic as I took off running down the hall. Where was my baby? _

_ A light_

_ There is a light at the end of the hall._

_ I ran towards it. Maybe someone could help me find my baby. The light was coming from a cracked open door. I knew that door. This lead to Boromir's room. _

_ Boromir…my sweet Boromir._

_ I smiled as I pushed the door open. He would know what to do. Boromir would know how to fix this. The fire place lit up the room as I step inside. He was upon his bed with a small figure beside him. I couldn't help but smile as I realized what must have happened. My son….this was my son. My son and his father. _

_ I neared the bed and sat down by the pair, "Boromir?" _

_ The babe turned his head to look at me. His eyes….no…not here…._

_ A grin stretched across its blood stained face as he held up his hands. I looked at what the child held….a heart; a human heart. My eyes glanced down at the bed and for the first time since entering the room I saw what was on the bed. My Boromir…dead. He had been torn open by the monster that sat before me. _

_ I dropped to my knees before the bed and burst into tears. Not my Boromir…I cannot live without my Boromir. What was this thing and why did it haunt me. The pain that arose inside me threated to break me as the weight settled in my body._

_ "Mama?" I looked up at the child on the bed. The eyes…those eyes….they seemed to soften as the baby crawled towards me. I flinched away. This couldn't be my child. No…..no…NO!_


End file.
